Method for maintaining uniformity in composition liquid of dispersions or emulsions



Olct. 7, 1930.

P. KLEIN ET AL Patented Oct. 7, 1930 v'UNITED STATES',

PATENT OFFICE -PAUL KLEIN, OF IBUDAIiEST, HUNGARY; ANDREW jSZEGVRI, OF AKRON, OHIO; AND

STEPHEN GOTLB, 0F BUDAPEST, HUNGARY, ASSIGNORS TO AMERICAN AN ODE INC.,

OF AKRON, OHIO METHOD FOR MAINTAINING UNIFORMITY IN COMPOSITION LIQUID OIF I'JISPIEB'SIONB` OB EMULSIONS Application led January 31, 1928, Serial No.

i The present invention relates to al method ration of the constituents ofliquid dispersed systems, especially of such dispersions as contain constituents of diiferentspeciic gravities and the celloidal; dispersed phase of which or part of the same has a tendency to pect'ization, flocculation or coagulation.

In the treatment of many liquid disper-` sions such as aqueous rubber dispersions, e. g.'

natural rubber latex which is admixed with `various additions in a finely divided state, it

is necessary to carry out the treatment in such way that the entire liquid maintains a uniform composition throughoutV for a certain period and that the lighter constituents are prevented from floating on the surface of the liquids and the heavier constituents from depositing at the bottom of' the liquid.

Ordinary'agitating devices which would be suiiiciently effective to maintainl the uniformity of the mixture are not suitable for .this purpose because they easily lead to pectization, ilocculation or coagulation, of thel latex. v

According to the invention, the tendency of the heavier constituents of an aqueous dispersion. to settle to the bottom or the tendency of the lighter constituents to float on the surface is counteracted by causing the liquid dispersion to execute a'lmovement in the inverse sense to the movement that would be madeby the heavier-constituents during their settlement or by during their flotation. In the preferred form of carrying4 out the invention, the liquid dispersed system,r is caused to move upwardly from the point where the constituents of highest speci-fic gravlty tend to separate out towards the l point where the constituents of lower specificgravity tend to separate out,.that is -to,say, the liquid dispersion is continuously passed from the uppermost point towards the lowest point outside the place where the liquid dispersion is treated.

' In carrying out the aforesaid method, the vessel in which the treatment offthe aqueous the lighter constituents 250,946, and in Germany rebruary 2a, 1927.

'- by-pass conduit leading from the top, preferably nearthe liquidl llevel of the'vessel, to the bottom. In said by-pass conduit is provided a liquid conveying device which causes the liquid dispersion to execute a movement in the receptacle containing the disper? sion in such a way that the liquid dispersion issuing from the top of the receptacle is returned to the dispersion in the receptacle at the bottom, this movement being continued so that the liquid dispersoin is kept in circulation.

Preferably, leading from the by-pass to and from the receptacle are branched on.

T wo ap aratus suitable for carrying out 4the inventlon will hereinafter be described in the inlet and outlet conduitsv detail with reference to the accompanying ing the dispersion to be kept in a uniformf `ly dispersed condition. The receptacle 1 is provided with a by-pass conduit 2 which leads from the top of the liquid level w to the bottom of the receptacle 1. t In this by-pass conduit 2, is located the conveyor screw 4 .driven through the shaft 3. 'This screw is preferably rotated in such manner that the liquid is causedl to iiow in the direction of the arrow so that the liquid enters at the bottom of the receptacle 1 and leaves at the to ,owing to the conveyor screw 4. The

branched off to form a plurality of branches for'example 2, 2, and 2" at op osite ends -5 and 5P of the receptacle 1, and t e connection 50 dispersion is eiected may be provided with a. '6? and 6F' are provided.

y-pass channelfleading from the receptacle'l near rthe level of the `liquid m is preferably extent of the blades, preferabl In order to prevent detrimental knocks' between the liquid and the conveyor screw 4 either the delivery side of the conveyor screw 4 or, as shown in the drawings, both sides'of the conveyor rscrew may be provided the rotor o the turbine to a slightl extent in axial direction, but to flowthrough the rotor mainly in a radial direction. The liquid dispersion is admitted near the nave of the rotor y means of an inlet cone which tapers towards the rotor, while the liquid is discharged throu h a confuser connected to the peri ery o the rotor. A ide'cone is referably provided axially of t e confuser w ilst guide blades are preferably provided between the guide cone and the walls of the confuser.

The rotor is provided with helicoidal-blades which are wound around a cone with an angle of more than 90,`if possible up to 180, said cone diverging from the inlet side towards the outlet side, the outer surface of the rotor being also formed in the sha of a cone diverging in the direction of ow. The number of the blades Ishould lpreferabl be such that the angle between t e tips o the successive blades is smaller than the angular` one half thereof, so that the cells formed tween the blades areas lon as possible.

As shown in Figs. 3 and 4, the rotor is provided with a conical navef9 diverging in the direction of ow, around which the blades i 10 are wound to an angular extent y of more than 90 preferably 180. The angle z'between the tips of successive blades amount to less than one half the angle y so thatlon tudinal cellular channels 11 are formed etween thel blades (Fig. 3). As can be seen from this Fig. 3 the outer rotor surface andk consequently also the casing 12 are of al proximately conical sha e. The liquid 1s supplied through the in et cone 14 which converges towards"the rotor 10 so that the inlet o the liquid takes place at 15 near the nave, in an axial direction. 'During ythe passage through the rotor, the liquid passes through the cells 11 of the rotor in an axial direction as well as in a radial direction and issues from the rotor again in an axial di rection but over a greater area than' that of the inlet. A ide cone 15 is connected to the delivery si e of the rotor behind the nave 9 and the confuser 16 is ,connected to the peliquid dispersion and to maintain the composition of the liquid uniform without iiiterfering with the colloidal conditions. of the constituents ofthe dispersion. We wish it to be understood that the invention is not intended to be restricted yto its application to rubber dispersions, The above described method 'has the additional advantage that it obviates skin-formation on the surface of Y the dispersion which is'sometimes very troublesome.

Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said invention and in what manner the same is to be per-- -or receptacle by withdrawing the dispersion at or adjacent the su ace thereof and reintroducing thedispe on into the bottom of the vat or receptacle. l

2.v The methodA of maintaining u mformitg in composition of aqueous dispersions, suc

as latices of rubber liable to coagulate under Athe influence of shock or agitation, which comprises imparting a general continuous upward movementv to su stantially. the entire body of dispersion contained .1n a yat or receptacle by withdrawing the dispersion at or adjacent the surface thereof and reintroducing the dispersion into the bottom of the vator receptacle, the movement of .the dispersion being effected by a continuous iinpelling device adapted to avoid shock or agitation of an order liable to. induce coagulation of the dispersion.

3. The method of maintaining u niformit in composition of aqueous dispersions, suc as latices of rubber, liable to coagulate under the influence of lshock or a 'tation, which comprises impartinga enera continuous u pward movement to su stantially the entire body of dispersion contained in a vat or receptacle by withdrawin the dispersion" at or adjacent the surface t ereof and reintrol'izo ducing the dispersion into the said body through a plurality of streams distributed throughout the lower strata of said body of receptacle uniformity in composition of dis,-V perslons, such as latches of rubber, liable to coagulate under the influence of shock or agitation, which comprises imparting s, gen- Aeral continuous slow vupward movement 'to substantially the entire body of dispersion, withdrawing they dispersion adj aycent the-surface t-hereo and impelling` the dis ersion withdrawn from, and before reintro uction lo into, said body without shock or agitation of an order lia leeto induce coagulation of the dispersion.

In testimony whereof we aix our signa.- tures. I Dn. PAUL KLEIN.

ANDREW SZEGVRI.

STEPHEN LGOTLEB.

fas 

